Noble Energy Announces Production From Tamar And An Increase In Resource Estimate

HOUSTON, April 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL) today announced that the Tamar natural gas field offshore Israel has been successfully brought online with all five of the subsea wells now producing at stable rates totaling approximately 300 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). When combined with existing Mari-B volumes, the total current sales are nearly 500 MMcf/d and are expected to average 700 MMcf/d through the remainder of the year. Initial sales commenced on March 31 as natural gas flowed from the field to the Tamar platform and then to the Ashdod Onshore Terminal.

The development is designed to deliver natural gas rates up to 1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). Volumes will likely reach this maximum capacity during the peak summer demand in the third quarter this year.

Charles D. Davidson, Noble Energy's Chairman and CEO, commented, "In just over four years from discovery, the Tamar project is fully operational and delivering significant volumes of natural gas to Israel. The project is a technological and commercial milestone for Noble Energy and our partners. This is the third major global project we have brought online in the last 18 months and it will make a significant contribution to our continuing production growth. Building on this success, we are working with the government and our partners to sanction the next phase of development at Tamar and the domestic phase of Leviathan."

The gross resource estimate of Tamar has been increased to 10 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), up from 9 Tcf, as a result of development drilling and continued reservoir analysis and modeling. An independent assessment conducted by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. supports the new resource estimate.

The Tamar development includes five subsea wells capable of flowing 250 MMcf/d of natural gas each. Natural gas flows from the field through the longest subsea tieback in the world for more than 90 miles to a platform near the existing Mari-B structure. The Tamar platform is tied into the existing pipeline that delivers natural gas to the Ashdod onshore receiving terminal.

Noble Energy operates Tamar with a 36 percent working interest. Other interest owners are Isramco Negev 2 with 28.75 percent, Delek Drilling with 15.625 percent, Avner Oil Exploration with 15.625 percent and Dor Gas Exploration with the remaining four percent.

The Company is also the operator of Mari-B with a 47.059 percent working interest. Delek Drilling has a 25.5 percent interest, Avner Oil Exploration holds 23 percent and Delek Investment has 4.441 percent.

Noble Energy is a leading independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and gas exploration and production. The Company has core operations onshore in the U.S., primarily in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, offshore Eastern Mediterranean, and offshore West Africa. Noble Energy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol NBL. Further information is available at www.nobleenergyinc.com.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Words such as "anticipated," "intends," "indicates," "suggests," "possibility," "believes," "expects," "intends," "will," "should," "may," and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy's current views about future events. They include planned development activities, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations. No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks include, without limitation, government approvals, changes in governmental policies and regulations, other political developments, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and, in particular, natural gas, exploration and development risks, drilling and operating risks, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, the possibility of regional conflict, cross-border violence, terrorist acts or other disturbances within the region, environmental risks, competition, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy's business that are discussed in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are also available from Noble Energy's offices or website http://www.nobleenergyinc.com. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Noble Energy does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

The Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. The SEC permits the optional disclosure of probable and possible reserves, however, we have not disclosed the Company's probable and possible reserves in our filings with the SEC. We use certain terms in this news release, such as "gross resource estimate". These estimates are by their nature more speculative than estimates of proved, probable and possible reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially greater risk of being actually realized. The SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including these estimates in filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosures and risk factors in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the SEC, available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.